Signature-collecting mechanism



I. C. THEBEBATH.

Sl|GNATURE COLLECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, I9IB.

Illlll/IIIIIIIIII Patented Oct. 18, 1921,

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EMJMJWWLUK J. C. THEBERATH.

SIGNATURE COLLECTING MECHANISM- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9.1918-1,393,924, v Patented 00518, 1921.

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J. C. THEBERATH. Y SIGNATURE COLLECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOII.9,|I9I8. 18

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" .I. C. THEBERATH. SIGNATURE COLLECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 9, 1918- 1,393,924. Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

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MM M J. C. THEB'ERATH. SWGNATURE COLLECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV; 9, 1918- 1,393,924, Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

:rosnrrr c. THEBERATI-I, or LAKEWOOD, 01x10, essrenon OF'ONE-THIRD T0WILLIAM J). GRAFF, or LAKEWOOD, onro.

Application filed. November 9, 1918.

To all'wizomz'tmag concern:

Be it knownthat I, JosErH C. THEBnRA'rH, a citizen of the United States,residlng at Lakewood, in the county of .Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Signature-(lollectingMechanism, of which'thefollowlng is a full, clear, and eXact descripton, reference being had to the accompanylng drawings.

The general aim of my present invent on is to improve and in somerespects to simplify the construction and operation, and to increase thecapacity, of the signature collecting and stufiing mechanism disclosed1n my former Letters Patent No. 1,149,546, issued August 10, 1915.

Like my former machine, the present one is designed with particularreference to the collecting and stuffing of the sections of largenewspapers, such as Sunday editions. In the production of newspaperscomprising more than one signature or section, the 1 ndividual sectionsare folded as they are discharged from the printing press and afterwardnested together or inserted one within another. It is the, function ofmy machine to accomplish this latter step, and, to the attainment ofthis result in the most com plete manner, my present inventioncomprehends, in its more elaborate form, the dea of including aplurality of receiving stations so that the signatures orsections may bepicked up progressively and inserted successively, eliminatingconsiderable handl ng of the papers and rendering the comp1l1ng of acompleted edition very simple and practically automatic.

From this reference to newspaper work it must not be supposed that myinvention is limited to that field alone, for it will be understood thatthe same is equally as well adapted to the gathering and stuffing offolded leaves or signatures constituting pamphlets, books or the like.

In carrying out my present inventlon I follow the general arrangement ofparts and mode of operation of my former machine, but materially altersome of the vital elements, and add others, to the end that the machineworks with greater precision and iscapable of operating at a higherspeed and with less attention than its predecessor.

Specific objects sought to be attained are the provision of means forinsuring the proper entrance of the conveying blade into Specificationof Letters Patent.

SIGNATURE-COLLECTING MECHANISM.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Serial No. 261,865.

the fold of the signature or section; the PFOYISIOII Of supporting meansfor the receiving signatures having an intermittent accumulative upwardmovement so that, as the signatures are removed from the stack, thetopmost signature will be maintained at a proper elevation to receive anentering signature; the association therewith of a stop for restrainingthe topmost signature against undue elevation; and the inclusion, withmeans for opening the receiving signature, of mechanism for practicallysimultaneously retracting the aforesaid stop and slightly lowering thesupporting means thereby to relax the receiving signature to facilitatethe insertion of the entering signature; and the provision of ejectingmechanism actively engaging opposite sides of a completed article orpaper thereby to positively remove it from the machine and preventdisplacement of its component parts or disturbing its compact condition.

A further object is the provision of a unique clutch arrangement,capable of a very fine adjustment and which is positive of action, foraccomplishing with a high degree of accuracy the intermittentaccumulative upward movement of the support or table for the receivingsignatures.

Other objects will become apparent as I proceed to describe theinvention in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawingswherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a sectionalside elevation, the plane of section being indicated by the line 22 ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 33of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4: of Fig. 3;Fig. 5 is a section substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 isan enlarged fragmentary sectional side elevation in the vicinity of thereceiving end of the ejection mechanism; Fig. 7 is a detail inperspective of the cam for retracting the stop or weight and performingother acts pertaining to the relaxing and opening of the receivingsignature; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 88 of Fig. 3; Fig.9 a section on the correspondingly numbered line of Fig. 8; Fig. 10shows in perspective and in separated condition certain elements of themechanism for opening the receiving signatures; Fig. 11 is a perspectiveview of the clutch mechanism through which the supporting means for thereceiving signatures is elevated; and

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic representation of v a modification of theinvention incorporating a plurality of receiving tables or stations.

vThe form of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 11 incorporatesgenerally the following elements: A supply station A, a receivingstation E, mechanism designated C for opening a receiving signature atstation B and conveying another signature from station A and insertingit into the receiving signature, thereafter carrying both into theejecting mechanism D; these sev- 6, carried by cross members of theframe 1.

Supported in proper relation to table 2, by a superimposed frame l arethe end plates 8 and 9. and a rear plate 10, while a front plate 11 isadjustably connected to a cross member of the superimposed frame, asbymeans of bolts 12 having thumb nuts '13 and passing through slots inrails 14 (Fig. 2), that are attached to the front plate.

An elevator tableoccupies receiving station B (Fig. 2) and the top 16thereof is composed of two sections hingedly connect ed on a transverseaxis, as indicated at 17 so that both sections may be inclinedclownwardly from the hinge, the rear section at a lesser angle from thehorizontal than the front. The rear section is shown as hingedlyconnected at 18, to a sub-frame 20 to permit of this adjustment. Thesub-frame 20 is guided vertically within uprights of the frame 1, andpivoted at 22 to cross mem bers thereof are opposed L-shaped levers 21,the levers having connection through links 23, with the hinge 17- of thetable top 16. The lower ends of the L-shaped levers have pins 24 thatbear upon the front edges of rails 25, said rails being adjustablyconnected at their upper ends at 26 to members of the sub-frame, andsimilarly connected at their lower ends, through links 27, with slottedmembers 28 of the subframe. By varying the inclination of the rails 25,the lower ends of the L-shaped levers are swung in a forward or rearwarddirection on their pivots 22 to elevate or lower through links 23, thehinge point of the sections of the table top 16, for a purpose whichwill be explained later.

The table top 16 and its entire sub-structures are designed to bereciprocated at each cycle of the machine, and, at the same time, to begradually !fed upward-as previously expressedwith an accumulativemovement.

The reason for the reciprocatory movement is to relleve the'topsignature on table 16 serted; and the accumulatlve movement is obviouslyfor the purpose of advancing the table to maintain the top of the stackof receiving signatures at the proper elevation. The mechanism wherebythis is accomplished will now be described.

A shaft 30 is supported transversely of the machine below sub-frame 20and in fixed relation to the main frame 1, the same being shown ascarried within brackets 31, rising from a plate 32, that is supportedwithin the main frame. Ayoke or frame 33 is journaled upon shaft 30 andcarries at its forward end a shaft 35, the same being in the {form of adisk having a peripheral flange 37. Journaled upon the clutch element isa cylindrical member '38 having'a radially disposed boss 39 to which isattached a rod 40. The lateral notches of a pair of grippers 41 and 42embrace the flange 37 of the clutch element, and springs 43 tend toelevate their bifurcated ends, the spring ofthe gripper 41' beinganchored to the member 38, while that of the-gripper 42 is anchored to acollar 44 on shaft 30. The opposite ends of the respective grippersengage a pin 45 which extends laterally from the boss of member 38, anda pin 46 which projects downwardly and forwardly from collar 44.- Thisdisposition of the grippers causes them to resist movement relative tothe clutch element in a clock-wise direction, as the parts are viewed inFigs; 2 and 11, wherefore it will be seen that a depression of rod willcause it to transmit, through the intervention of the pin and gripper41, a slight rotary motion to the clutch element, while the othergripper will yield to such a movement. Now, upon the elevation df rod40, the gripper 41 will. be carried with it upwardly about the flange ofthe clutch element, while gripper 42, in the meantime, holds the clutchelement against return movement. Thus it will be seen that thisorganism, constituting a unique clutch arrangement, acts similarly to apawl-and-ratchet contrivance, the gripper 41 answering as the pawl toadvance the clutch element which is the equivalent of the ratchet, whilethe gripper 42 serves as a detent to prevent the return movementthereof.

A shaft 50'is suitably supported transversely of the main frame andextends across the rear end of yoke 30 and carries cams 51 forcocperation with the sides of the yoke. Consequently, upon each rotationof the shaft, the yoke will be rocked to raise and lower shaft 35 thatis carried by its forward end. The shaft 50 is also. quipp d. with aeccentric 52, encircled by a strap 53 that has adjustable connection,through the link 54, with rod 40. Therefore, as shaft 50 rotates it willvibrate arm 40 and, through the clutch arrangement above described, willtransmit an intermittent rotary motion to shaft 35. The extent to whichrod 4C0 is vibrated and likewise the angular movement of shaft 35, maybe altered by the adjustment of link 54: along the rod. Shaft 35 hasfixed to it apinion 56 that is in constant mesh with a rack 57, carriedby the sub-frame 20 of table 16. It follows, therefore, that as theshaft 50 is driven, it will not only cause a vertical reciprocation ofthe table 16 by reason of the oscillation of yoke 35, but it will effecta gradual elevation thereof because of the vibration of rod 40, and theconsequential intermittent rotation of shaft 35 and pinion 56. The tablemay be abruptly lowered by pressing downward simultaneously on theforward ends of the two grippers 4:1 and 42 causing them to releasetheir bite upon the flange of the clutch element, thereby permitting itand the shaft 35, with pinion 56, to rotate freely.

Mechanism C involves a shaft60 that is supported vertically within themain frame 1; and slightly below the plane of table 2 the shaft hassecured to it a disk 61. This disk carries a stub shaft 62 on the lowerend of which is mounted an arm 63 having, at its free end, a roller 64that is guided within a cam groove 65 of a plate 66 (Figs. 8 and 9)secured to cross members 67 of the main frame. Mounted upon the stubshaft 62, to oscillate in unison with the arm 63, is a gear 68 whichmeshes with a pinion 69 on a second stub-shaft 70, having a head 71above the disk and to which is secured a conveyer blade 73. As theshaft60 is rotated and the roller 64 of the arm 63 traverses groove 65, theblade, while traveling through its orbit about the shaft will be rockedin such manner, by reason of the shape of groove 65, as to transmit,through gear 68 and pinion 69, a movement to the blade resulting in itsbeing projected into the fold of the lowermost signature at thereceiving station A and assuming Y therein a position substantially,parallel to the folded edge of the signature and thereafter moving,while substantially radial with respect to the shaft, throughsubstantially 90 degrees until it deposits the signature within thetopmost signature at the receiving station B, the blade subsequentlyswinging farther to carry the two signatures into the ejector mechanismD, and finally being withdrawn from the signatures to swing with anaccelerating speed upon its pivot until its forward end is again in aposition to enter the next signature at the supply station. Thismovement of the blade takes place during a rotation of the disk 61,

or what may be regarded as a complete cycle of operation of the machine.

It may be explained at this time that the signatures or newspapersections are deposited upon table 2 within the confines of the end walls8 and 9 and rear wall 10, with their folded edges adjacent or bearingagainst plate 11. The plate 11 is adjusted so as to permit the passageof only one signature beneath it, while the table is set at a properelevation to locate the space always occurring within the folded edge ofa folded sheet or signature at the precise elevation of the blade 73. Asthe blade withdraws a signature from the supply station it conveys itacross a shelf 75 to the receiving station 13.

To prevent slight vertical displacement of the free end of the blade asit enters the fold of the signature, I provide a guide thereforcomprising a roller 7 6 that is supported by a bracket 77 from the frameadj acent and below the lower edge of the end wall 9. Above roller76 ismovably sustained a roller 7 8 by an arm 80 that is pivoted at 81 to aremote portion of frame 1. The shaft 60 carries, at its upper end, a camelement 84E having a cam portion 85 adapted to engage a roller 86 of arm80 and elevate the same and consequently the roller 78 after the rollerhas performed its function of properly guiding the end of the blade intothe fold of the signature, thereby to relieve the blade of allunnecessary friction. Preparatory to inserting a signature within thetopmost signature at the receiving station, it is necessary to open thelatter signature. In the present machine this is accomplished bymechanism which I will now describe.

Mounted forv oscillation and slight vertical movement within a hollowboss 88, rislng from an angle plate 89 of the superimposed frame l, is ashaft 90 having a finger 91 at its lower end that reposes normally inthe plane of the top signature of the receiving station. A series ofpins 92 radiate from a member 93 that is fixed to the lower end of shaft90 for cooperation with a segmental flange 94 -of the former cam element84. This segmental flange is interrupted by notches 95, as clearly shownin Fig. 7 and as the cam rotates these notches cooperate with thepreviously mentioned pins 93, on the principle of crown and pin gears,and cause an oscillation of shaft 90 through substantially a quarter ofa circle and sufliciently to insert the finger 91 well into thesignature. By referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 10, it will be seenthat the shaft 90 is equipped with a head 96 which occupies the interiorof the boss 88, and that pins 97 extend laterally from the head intonotches 98 of the boss. The bottom walls of these notches constitute thecams which the pins 97 ascend as the shaft 98 is rotated, thereby tocause an elevation of the shaft. The rise of the shaft lifts'finger 91and opens the signature, this condition prevailing while the extendedportion of the flange 94 cotiperates with the last pin 93 of the series.A spring 100 surrounds the boss 88 and has one of its ends anchored to apin 101 that projects from the side of the boss, and its opposite endat-' tached to one of the pins 97. This spring tends to maintain theshaft and consequently the'finger 91 in normal position The finger 91 isaccurately guided into the fold of a signature by a pair of guiderollers 102 and 103, the former being stationary and the latter carriedby an arm 104 that is pivoted at 105 to the frame 1 and has a roller 106which is adapted to be engaged by the former cam portion 85 of camelement 84, substantially identical with the corresponding elementsassociated with blade 73. s

For maintaining the topmost signature at the receiving station againstundue elevation, I provide a stop 110, in the present instance in theform of a weight, that is carried by arms 111 which have eccentricstraps 112 at their upper ends encircling eccentrics 113 on a shaft 114.This shaft is journaled in brackets 115 on the superimposed frame 1-,and beyond the inner bracket, the shaft has fixed to it an arm 116carrying'at its free end a roller 117 that engages the top of camelement 84. The element has a cam portion 118 adapted to engage theroller and swing the arm upward to oscillate the shaft 114 suflicientlyto slightly retract the stop or weight 110 through the action ofeccentrics 113. This is timed to occur at the moment the table 16 isdepressed through mechanism already described, thus to relax thesignatures and facilitate the entrance of blade 91 into the fold of thetopmost signature, as well as to effect a free opening of the signatureto re-' ceive 'the one conveyed thereto by blade 73. It may be pointedout at this time that the slight downward inclination given the rearsection of table 16 causes the space within the fold of the topmostsignature to occupy a substantially horizontal position in alinementwith finger 91; and it is obvious that the downward inclination of thefront'section contributes to an effectual separation of the free edgesof the signature.

Just to the rear of the receiving station are supported, within the mainframe, parallel shafts 120 and 121, the latter having itsends guidedwithin slots 122 so as to be capable of a movement toward and from shaft120. These shafts carry rollers 123 over which conveyor belts 124 areengaged, the belts also extending over pulleys 125 that are pivotedwithin brackets 126 secured to rods 127 which are supported in the outerend of an extension 1 of the frame. Knurled portions 128 of rollers 123insure effective gripping of the signatures as they are projectedbetweenthe rollers of the respective shafts 120 and 121.by the blade 73.While the upper roller is'permitted to rise and fall according to thethickness of the articles fed between the rollers and belts,

its weight causes it to bear down upon the articles with suflicientpressure to positively feed them. geared together by the arrangement ofgears shown in Fig. 6. The lower shaft is equipped with a gear v130,while the upper shaft has secured to itfgear 131; and the latter ispositively driven from the former through intermediate pinions 132carried upon shafts 133. These shafts 133 are maintained a fixeddistance apart and from shafts 120 and 121 by a series of links 134.

The lower shaft 120 carries, at its outer end, a pulley 136 that may bedriven through a belt 137 from any suitable source of power, as motor138. The inner end of the same shaft 120 is equipped with a bevel pinion140 that meshes with a similar pinion 141 on the upper end of a shaft142, journaled at its upper end within the frame and at its lower endwithin a portion of a gear casing 143, the shaft having a worm 144 within the casing that meshes witha worm wheel 145 that is fastened to thepreviously men tioned shaft 50. Shaft 50eXtends from the cally amodification of the invention incor-v porating a supply station A andseveral receivingstations B, ejector D, and common operating mechanismC. In an embodiment of this character it is clear that no essentialchange is necessary in the mechanism here inbefore described, but onlythat the elements associated with each of the receiving stations bemultiplied according to the number of receiving stations.

In the operation of this form of the invention, a signature is picked upat the supply station and conveyed to the first receiving station andinserted in the topmost signature thereof, after which the twosignatures are carried on to the next receiving station and insertedwithin the topmost signature thereof and so on until the compilededition is deposited in the ejector D.

. Having thus described my invention, wha I claim is 1. In a machine ofthe characterset forth,

The shafts 120 and 121 are the combination of element.

a support for signatures or the like, means for inserting signaturessuccessively within those on the support and removing the entering andreceiving signatur'es from the support, a rotary element havingoperative connection with the support so that upon rotation thereof inone direction said support will be advanced, an oscillatory memberwithin which the rotary member is sustained, and mechanism foroscillating-the sustaining member and imparting intermittent rotation tothe rotary 2. In a machine of the character set forth,

the combination of a support for signatures or the like, means forinserting signatures successively lnto. those on the support and forremoving the inserted and receiving signatures from the support, a rackconnect-- ed with said support, a pinion cooperating with the rack, anoscillatory member within which the pinion is supported for rotation,and mechanism for oscillating the member and imparting intermittentrotation to the pinion.

3. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supportfor a stack of signatures or the like, means for inserting signaturessuccessively into those of the stack and for removing the inserted andreceiving signatures from the support, of mechanism for imparting anintermittent reciprocatory and accumulative advance movement to thesupport, said means being adjustable as to the extent of theaccumulative movement at each reciprocation.

4. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supportfor signatures or the like, means for inserting signatures successivelyinto those on the support and for removing the inserted and receivingsignatures from the support, a rack connected with the support, a pinioncooperating with the rack, a clutch element rotatable With the pinion, amember adapted to oscillate on the axis of said element, gripperscarried by the member for cooperation with the clutch and acting whenmoved in one direction to impart rotation to the element while servingto retain the element against rotation in the opposite direction, anoscillatory frame supporting the pinion clutch element and member, ashaft, a cam on the shaft for cooperation with the frame thereby tooscillate the frame as the shaft is rotated, an eccentric upon theshaft, and operative connecor the like, means for inserting signaturessuccessively into those on the support and for removing the inserted andreceiving signatures from the support, a rack connected with thesupport, a pinion cooperating with the rack, a clutch element rotatablewith the pinion, a member adapted to oscillate on the axis of saidelement, grippers carried by the member for cooperation with the clutchelement and acting when moved in one direction to impart rotation to theelement while serving to retain the element against rotation in theopposite direction, an oscillatory frame supporting the pinion clutchelementand member, a shaft, a cam on the shaft for cooperation with theframe thereby to oscillate the frame as the shaft is rotated, aneccentric upon the shaft, and operative connections between theeccentric and the aforesaid memberthereby to impart intermittentmovement to said member.

6. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supportfor a stack of signatures or the like, means for inserting signaturessuccessively into those of the stack and for removing the inserted andreceiving signatures from r the stack, a stop for restraining thesignatures against undue advance movement, and mechanism for impartingadvance movement to the support and for retracting the same and theaforesaid stop substantially simultaneously with the insertion of asignature.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supportfor a stack of signatures or the like, means for inserting signaturessuccessively into those of the stack and removing the inserted andreceiving signatures from the stack, means for advancing the support tocompensate for the removal of the signatures, and means for retractingthe support thereby to relax the signature during the insertingoperation.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a supportfor signatures or the like, a member insertible within the fold of asignature on the support, a guide for said member, and means forreleasing the guide from the member after the same has been insertedwithin the signature.

9. In a machine of the character set forth,

the combination of a support for signatures or the like, a member.insertible within the fold of a signature on the support, guidesengaging opposed sides of the member, and means for separating theguides after said member has been inserted.

10. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of asupport for signatures or the like, a member insertible into the fold ofa signature on the support, a guide element supported at a fixed planefor determining the elevation of the member, a second guide element forengaging the mem ber and holding it in contact with the first, and meansfor retracting the second guide element after the member has beeninserted.

11. In a machine of the character set forth,

the combination-of an element operating in a given plane and insertibleinto the fold of a signature, and a'signature support consisting of twomembers adapted to be disposed slightly angularly with respect to eachother so as to maintain the space within the fold of a signaturesustained by the support in a substantially horizontal position.

' 12. In a machine of the character set forth,

the combination of an element operating in a given plane and 'insertlbleinto the fold of a signature, a support for the signature consisting ofmembers slightly inclined with respect to each other so as to support asignature. with the space within its fold subsignature.

I '13. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of anelement operating in a given plane and insertible into the fold of asignature, a support for signatures comprising a sub-structure, a pairof hinged plates whereon the signatures are adapted to be supported, oneof said plates being pivotally connected to the subestructureyand meanscarried by the sub-structure for ad justing vertically the hingeconnection between the plates so that signatures of various thicknessmay be supported thereon with the space within their folds substantiallyhorizontal;

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my JOSEPH O. THEBERATH;

